Proposed children’s museums both taking shot at $250,000

Sunday

Apr 11, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Thad AngellozStaff Writer

HOUMA — Christy Naquin and Wendy Jeffcoat share something in common: a desire to make their respective communities better.So when they found out about a grant program called the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project they were thrilled.The program allows concerned residents wanting to transform the world around them to submit their ideas for consideration.Members of the general public vote on these ideas monthly at www.refresheverthing.com. The top two submission in any given month are awarded a maximum of $250,000 each.Naquin, the executive director of Thibodaux’s Bayou Country Children’s Museum, said she found out about the program thanks to a board member.“They came across it and I knew it was something we needed to try for,” Naquin said. “I actually submitted all the necessary information on March 2 and was too late to get in last month. I set my alarm clock and got it turned in on April 1 this time. They take up to 1,000 submissions and ours is one of them for this month.”Naquin said the children’s museum recently completed its lease agreement with Acadia Plantation for the land the museum will be housed on.“We’re going to break ground in June regardless of whether or not we win the grant money,” she said. “It would make things a whole lot better if we were able to secure that money.”Naquin is anticipating to have the museum completed by June 2011.If an idea finishes in the top 100 in one month it gets rolled over into the next month.According to Jeffcoat, the executive director of Houma’s Kids In Motion Discovery Playhouse, she submitted her idea in February.Kids In Motion finished in the top 100 in votes twice.“This is the third time our idea has been rolled over into the next month,” Jeffcoat said. Jeffcoat said she has a site in mind for the playhouse and hopes to purchase the building and open the playhouse later this year.A friend and supporter of the playhouse told her about the Pepsi project.“Shea Bourgeois, who owns Pinnochio’s sent me information on it, and that’s how I got involved,” Jeffcoat said.Both Naquin and Jeffcoat support each other’s ideas and vision for a better community through interactive exhibits and thought-provoking activities for children.“I hope we both win the money,” Naquin said. “It would be great.”Jeffcoat agrees.“What I like is what we’re trying to start up in our respective communities is different, but so needed,” Jeffcoat said. “Her museum and my playhouse are unique from one another and would provide our area with a pair of great options to bring our children.” Both women have been busy fundraising and think the Pespi project is another great avenue to generate additional money for their venues.“It’s not easy,” Jeffcoat said. “The biggest challenge for me is getting people to know about what I’m trying to do. But I’ve learned a lot through the process and feel like we’re headed in the right direction.”To vote for these ideas and find out more about each site, visit www.refresheverything.com/bccm and www.refresheverything.com/kimsdiscoveryplayhouse.

Staff Writer Thad Angelloz can be reached at 857-2207 or at thad.angelloz@houmatoday.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.